Tag Archives: UPD

Summer! How many good emotions are in that word! Especially for people like me who fiercely hate the cold and are strongly affected by dull days. My summer has been going well, can’t believe the first month is already over! Even though the holidays started earlier this year for me since I passed my last exam at the beginning on may. Yes! Shit got real!!! I graduated and am now a Bachelor of Sciences in International Business Administration with my alma mater at the University of Vienna. Moreover, I have already been accepted to Masters which I hope to be able to combine with work, but let’s see where life will turn next! Anyways, it’s over! I drove to Vienna from Lignano together with my parents to make it official together with one more thing – introducing Daniel to my family. What a day.

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The period of uncertainty I am having now is quite confusing, but at least I am happy I had taken the decision to stay in Vienna for few more years and don’t have to bother with moving to another city/country, which I had done 4 times in my life already, and which was always one hell of a fuss. Some of my classmates graduated together with me and some are leaving Vienna forever, so June has been a bittersweet month of partying at last, helping around with packing 5 years of life in 2 suitcases… and goodbyes. I think I learnt to say goodbye. There have been a lot of very painful ones for me. But thanks to them, I am capable of appreciating everyone my life introduced me to and letting it go on. A new chapter is about to begin for many of us, isn’t that wonderful and exciting?

Alongside with personal reasons to be emotional now, Vienna always gives out a lot of emotions to its inhabitants and guests in June – namely Life Ball and Pioneers festival. Together with all the terrace openings and streets becoming crazily busy and festive, those 2 events won’t let one be bored in this heat! I again worked with the Pioneers crew this year as a part of social media team, doing backstage support and assisting photographers and interviewers, and it was awesome! Always happy to see familiar faces among festival volunteers, too! So many this year! So if you can make it to Vienna in June and become a volunteer (you don’t have to be from Vienna, we will host you for the time of the festival!) – come join next year and have a blast! Very thankful for Pioneers for making this all happen!

Pioneers 2018 main stage

Pioneers will take good care of you!

Life Ball is another event that attracts people from all over the globe. The entire city waits for it every year losing breath. The most spectacular event in Austria and one of the brightest nights in the world! This year I was a cinderella who had not got a Life Ball ticket because was awaiting friends to come that day and thought I couldn’t go. But 2 hours before the Ball started, as I was sitting at Dani’s terrace, out of a sudden he says I should run to the Ball and he got me a VIP ticket! What a fairy! So you see, the impossible things become possible sometimes 😉

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Yup, Dani has a terrace now! A super cozy beautiful summer oasis in the heart of Vienna, check it outat Graben 26!

Besides balls and festivals and summer starting, June is completely full of Birthdays. Also, before going to Lignano I had Ksusha over in Vienna, so another reason to celebrate!

girls friendship ❤

l’autentico 1190 in summer is love

I love this month, you can tell! We made another roadtrip and took the girls to Hallstatt. I have been there in winter and now finally visited it in summer. It’s breathtaking! The only downside is a lot of tourists, so if you go there for a view, I’d recommend to also drive to other lakes around it. We loved Traunsee: crystal clear water and no tourists at all! Last week we also made another roadtrip and went for a picnic to Mondsee. I never realized lakes can be so awesome! I swim either in seas or in pools because I can’t take cold water, so even oceans are not really my thing if it’s not the Carribean (even though I once went swimming in Portugal in April). But Mondsee was so warm! We drove up to a random Badeplatz («beach»), unwrapped our cheeses, hams and baguettes there, popped tiny retro bottles of Aperol and enjoyed ourselves so much! If you are in Austria and have no time to drive to the sea – Mondsee (and I suppose other lakes in the area) can really make your day! 2.5 hr drive from Vienna and it doesn’t compare to any crowded public swimming place.

Hallstatt

Mondsee

Hallstatt

My Uni girls!

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Hallstatt

This week Vienna is hosting another amazing event – a Liquid Market, which is gonna be grandiose this year with a bar-scene superstar aka my boyfriend making a big surprise, so make sure to follow your favorite Viennese bars 😉 Specifically for that event, I am staying in Vienna until the end of this week, to again take off to my beloved Italy right after.

I mostly write new posts when en route. Under the motto «everything but work» that recently replaced «everything but studies, those curtains need to be washed asap» I am writing a quick update to my last year’s Lisbon overview after having visited it again during my trip to Portugal this spring break.

I fell in love from the first sight with Lisbon. My frequent readers remember cuntless tributes to bright tiles, pastel de nata and that awesome vibe of the city, when you turn around the most random corner late in the evening – and some people are for sure celebrating life there at another cosy wooden terrace eating the best octopus and drinking good wines cheering with strangers. When me and Liza planned our trip to Porto, it was a must-do for her to visit Lisbon, too. I joined with pleasure and here we are boarding that train that took us through the country just for 19 euros. We booked São Bento Hostel and it was another experience of a very cool stay in a hostel together with Fabrika in Tbilisi, Bar Hostel in Munich and Transit Loft in Berlin. Two tries in Amsterdam and Milan, however, were awful, so you never know. I am very respectful of those who run cheap but cool hostels with their heart and they feel like real home with flatmates who you know since ages and love. The rooftop with stunning view that Lisbon hostel had was the best way to start a day.

Same as last year, I think Lisbon needs no special roots, as walking around any neighbourhood I have been to was an interesting experience with beautiful views, cool shops and cafes, loads of tiles and friendly people. Literally in the middle of nowhere, few times we suddenly found coolest boutiques or most delicious dishes. Nevertheless, I would like suggest including those in your walk:

Rua dos Correeiros is one of the most touristy streets, but I really like it and all side-streets; a lot of cool places to be found in that area;

Inner yard of Baixa station: full of terraces, hidden from loud cars and crowds;

Find Muji store and go behind it – secret stairs for cool pictures. There is a hidden elevator right inside souvenir shop there that will take you up for free while tourists are waiting in lines to get tickets for a big metal one 😉

Another important staircase, Calçada do Duque, goes from Largo Trindade Coelho to Praça Dom Pedro IV – a little square with food tents, where musicians play and people dance. Having breakfast on one of those terraces placed right on the stairs is pleasant, and no matter what direction you take there –it brings you either to a nice view over downtown or back to busy shopping streets. I’d love to have an entire day to explore every garden and building along those stairs!

Rua da Vitória: go down the hill until the end of the street, there will be a small shopping center; -1 floor has a boutique with very beautiful unique jewelry;

I finally tried those famous sandwiches at a nova pombalina that was closed last year, and they really are awesome! Good fast delicious snack if you are on the way to Lisbon Cathedral;

Rua de São Paulo that leads to old district of São Bento where we stayed last year, is wort taking a walk to: starting on one of my favourite cafes concentration, Praça de São Paulo, it contains a number of small coffee places where you can observe local people’s routine.

Amoreiras shopping centre: for those who enjoy mass-market and famous brands shopping just as much as unique jewelry and fashion from small shops in the old town.

destroyed Cathedral turned into a party spot? I’m in!

tiles ❤

Calçada

beloved TOPO terrace

Calçada

locals enjoying noon cocktails

Dr. Wine

São Bento hostel rooftop

Liza loved Lisbon just as much as I expected, so my goal was fulfilled. Even though I still had a long list of restaurants from last year, when we saw a place called “Dr. Wine”, there were no more hesitations about our dinner location choice. Beautiful interior and quite a unique mixture of prawns risotto with fried fish made me add this place to the top of my list. I hope to come back in the nearest future and continue exploring this magic city!

This is just a short tribute to my family and friends, who have been there for me since 25 years already. I am not making any resolutions as I turn one year older this time, because probably for the first time in life I can tell that I am exactly where I wanna be. I am surrounded by awesome people only. “Only” is an important remark here: my friends and family have always been there and been awesome, but I almost always had extra people around. Now I am quite sure that this is it: those are mine. I am very happy in my relationship and am only looking forward to have more of it! I finished university this year, which was not an easy cookie! Recently I started a job that is already very challenging – and that’s what I always needed! In order not to challenge my personal relations, something has to challenge me, and here it is! Really looking forward to learning there and am thankful for the opportunity.

Besides all of the above, I am just having fun in life! This is precious to say when you turn 25. Thanks to my parents for everything in life, and to my friends and Dani for making every day an unforgettable experience. And may our glasses never be empty!

I decided to try to go back the hashtag #UPD from time to time. This blog has become solely a travel diary during past year, and I like it that way. But remembering that it started as a more personal thing where I was sharing emotions and events of my life alongside withpieces of traveler’s advice makes me wanna write down sometimes what’s happening around, too.

Writing this, I am on my flight from Moscow back to Vienna. I am now employed (*triple wohoooo from my mom here*) and had an unexpected short trip to Russia this weekend. Besides doing some serious adult stuff, I got to fly home and spend some time with my family again, as well as with my closest friend in hometown. Surprise trips are always great, but I couldn’t remember the last time I was in Russian in March, so the picture of spring in my head has shifted a bit: the forecast showed me sun, stable relatively warm for the region temperatures and no precipitation, so I came as my most classy elegant self, in a white suit. Well, don’t. Not in March. Hardly could I imagine this much of unidentified dark liquids flowing down the streets. One would hardly recognize that the car I was driving was once white as well. Thinking positively, I wanted no more snow this year – I didn’t see much snow since it was covered with mud. But I finally felt the spring!

Besides giving myself champagne showers for starting a job, I have been giving them to the others a lot recently. March is a big month of never-ending Birthdays. My closest ones in Vienna, Daniel and Jamila, have theirs one after another, accompanied by few more celebrations, so I had a good deal of rushing around town with presents, surprises and flowers, testing my baking skills and hiding in hallways watching youtube tutorials of how to pop a bottle once I break in at midnight, and other good stuff. I love Birthdays. I probably enjoy others’ even more than my own, which is coming up in two weeks. I find it super cool to be born in spring: everyone is happy and emotional after long winter; good vibes are in the air and people really enjoy the celebrations.

On top of pleasant weather changes and multiple reasons to celebrate (as all good stuff seems to happen in spring: everyone gets jobs, boyfriends, divorces and first tan), spring is a ball season in Vienna. I am not Austrian enough yet to annually attend classical events like the Opera Ball, which I actually would love to start doing in the next years. But I enjoy going to the great parties like Life Ball or Techno Ball – it was indeed grandiose!

Home sweet home

@Togliatti

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how ya doin?

❤

annaij.com

nutella/brownie/raspberries/oreo/fried marshmallows cake

@Wiener Techno Ball’18

@Wiener Techno Ball’18

@Marco Simonis

@Birdyars

@Roberto vol. 2

@Roberto vol. 2

proud Clandestino owner

@Hundertwasserhaus

preach.

As it turned out to be a very positive blog entry, so let me accompany it with few new and fresh must-visit spots in Vienna!

I already shared earlier that Daniel’s unique talent of a bar-chef brought Clandestino to this world. Now the bar has become popular and even more cozy and absolutely awesome with all the Star Wars gifts he receives, my fruit bowl and finest snacks menu by Mercado Nikkei, so let me invite you once again for a fantastic drink on Wed-Sat from 7 p.m. on. If you are in Vienna during this spring break – check out the upcoming event!

My favorite bar in Vienna since long before, Roberto’s, proudly introduced its new creation – another bar in the very heart of Vienna. Starting from 10 a.m. now at Jasomirgottstraße, 7.

There are some more new-openings that I found really great, including Birdyardand Bar3. Both are also offering delicious dinner opportunity.

Frozen hello from unusually cold this year Vienna! We are expecting the coldest winter in 100 years, which is a big demotivator to such low temperatures hater as me.

I am also a Grinch, to those who don’t know (if such people exist, as I tend to scream about it on every corner). So this is no adore-artificial-lights-and-sugar-with-hot-water-called-punsch post. I am really not a fan of all this Christmas fuss at all. Why don’t I spend winters in warmer countries, one might ask? Well, because I snowboard every free week I get. This is the only good thing during this season for me, definitely not crowds of people in shops and smell if cinnamon that I am allergic to. Ok, sorry, done with the Grinch vibe. I am starting with the season only in January this year, this means the first time in Vienna for the holidays for me. I am actually excited! Doesn’t matter where, matters with whom, right? And unexpectedly all my friends are staying in town as well, so we are already starting with our pre-parties and giving presents in couple days! The presents I like.

I don’t make any NY resolutions since few years, either. Honestly, I get a feeling that they are for the weak. Why do you need a list on a specific date to make your life better? I am such plans and fine organization lover on everyday basis, some would even call it a control freak. But those lists are something I don’t understand. I am not saying that all this “new year – new me” is bullshit, nope, it can be a very strong psychological incentive for changes. But why follow some stupid bullet points and put pressure on yourself, if you can just be strong enough to follow what makes you happy and what drives your personal progress. So, no “visit Paris this year” for me, I’ll just go and visit.

Even though I am not trying to come up with random resolutions here, summarizing the past year would take me just few sentences. It was a happy one, because I ate a lot of good food, I traveled to a lot of beautiful places, I spent it with the person I love. Not much more I need. I really find all those talks about personal achievements boring, so I am not gonna bore you, if I haven’t already.

So, spend the holidays with the ones you love, if you got the chance. Merry Christmas and talk to you next year! Prost! 🍸

P.S.: Time to share the most exciting event for us this year: Daniel opened up his own bar, Clandestino. Whenever you are in Vienna, come visit! You will be amazed 😉 I am very proud, the best feeling to end this year with.

Wow wow wow. More than 2 months it has been! Time flies. Hopefully this very cold and nasty winter will fly fast, too!

I feel like I owe some kind of an explanation to myself why I stopped running the blog. Technically, I never did, promise! There was just too much to write about at some point during all my summer travels, and when I don’t know where to begin – I end up writing nothing, That’s why there are still no full stories from Hong Kong or Cuba. Ooops! But I keep all in drafts and my yet good memory, and once it will be here (most likely when I am a jobless graduate).

As a quick update, I came back to Vienna in October and the past 2 months I have been here, besides a short trip to Salzburg with my boyfriend. I really feel like being in Vienna now, must admit I missed in in summer. I am even staying here for New Year’s for the first time ever. I am excited for the upcoming fun, especially since I found out Liza is coming over this week! And… the most exciting news for me: Dani is opening up his bar.🎉 🎎 I will just give one teaser: it’s gonna be awesome! So, if you are from Vienna – come visit us from the 7th of December on, you will LOVE it!

As soon as I am a bit more free, which hopefully comes to me for Christmas, I will catch up and tell more about my time in Barcelona as well as about the following trips to Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Croatia. I am also very happy to share my new favorite place in Italy, coming soon 😉

Hey hey! Summer is still here, I got another month of vacation and have a lot of plans ahead. But first, to catch up with Bcn.

It’s very hard to write anything on holidays. With two weeks I can manage to catch up afterwards, but 7 weeks is a tough cookie. I will do my best and at least drop some notes about where and what to eat in the area, but for now I only got half an hour between having submitted my thesis and meeting my girls for lunch. Yes, I’m in Vienna now. Unfortunately, I happened to be in the middle of the recent terrorist attack in Barcelona, so I left the city several days earlier than planned. But fortunately, I have an extra week in Vienna. I had never been here during summer holidays before and I’m actually enjoying it at the moment.

Anyways, away from sadness of recent horror in Catalunya which I can’t believe could have happened in such a beautiful bright place which is supposed to be the happiest place in Europe. My summer in Barcelona was amazing despite everything. The girls came to visit me, Jamila stayed for 2 weeks, then Ksenia came for another 3 weeks, so I didn’t have a single day when I was bored. Moreover, I needed a vacation from a vacation when my head touched the pillow as I landed in Vienna. Three full days in bed to get some rest after an amazing and super intense time were needed before I can start making memories of it. The pics and the stories will follow, of course!

Learning Spanish, eating everything and everywhere, having sangria for brunch, going to the sea, exploring hidden narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter and screaming like crazy in Port Aventura – that is what going to Spain means to me. It is by now most likely my second frequently visited country (after Italy, of course) and I never get tired of even doing the same things there. Barcelona is a very special city. Even in beloved Italy, I try to always go to different places. Spanish experience is Barcelona for me. Hope to see you soon, beautiful!